There is a certain art to styling and as an interior designer, Caroline has this flair. Whether she’s styling bookshelves, coffee tables, consoles or mantelpieces, she has a knack for choosing pieces that perfectly complement each other with a sense of proportion, colour and connection. The photos in this post come from a few of the many homes Caroline has styled for her interior design clients.
Coffee tables create many opportunities for display. This pair of round tables help to soften the angular shape of the couch and shelves. Caroline found rounded trays and bowls in the owner’s house and put together a soft look in pink and blue. The black and white display on the shelves was created with various black frames and a black arch-shaped frame.
This unique entrance way is almost a hexagon! Caroline sourced a perfectly proportioned marble-topped console and created a gorgeous bouquet to one side of the mirror, balanced by a candle on the other side.
The owner wanted a red theme for her study to match the Skipping girl print. Being consistent with red, white and brown boxes and folders to hide papers helped to create a dramatic focus against the black.
A girl’s bedroom contains many, many trinkets to play around with. Caroline and Chrissie looked for interesting shapes, handmade pieces like the felt gnomes and the lipstick art piece, as well as soft pieces like the much-loved bunny on the bedside table. The greenery from the pot plant and mini terrarium adds freshness.
At Como by Design, Caroline designed a young girl’s bedroom. The traditional marble-top, mahogany washstand, an original piece from Como House, was used to display many trinkets. A few vases of pink flowers match the various trinket dishes. Every space has been utilised – there are flowers below the marble top, an old-fashioned lace blouse hanging down and a wispy hair band attached to the mirror. The effect is one of abundance.
Hallways can be difficult places to decorate, because they are either being used to store practical belongings or are too narrow and awkward. A half-moon table, like the one above from the owner’s grandmother, are a practical and decorative option. Caroline organised to have the mahogany table sprayed black for a more contemporary look, and chose bold raspberry and pink accents to contrast with the dramatic black and white hallway. Caroline focused on rounded shapes with the vase, candle and hall table to offset the rectangles in the wainscoting.
Flowers are an easy way to create a focal point. Whether it’s the bathroom or the hallway, flowers can lift a space and emphasise different colour ways.
This main bedroom oozes luxury, with different textures and layers on the bed. Caroline layered the bed with its velvet bedhead in midnight blue, with a soft purple-grey cover and patterned cushions and throws.
The harmonious colours in the owner’s favourite painting set the tone for the rest of the sitting room. Caroline set up interesting vignettes in the white bookshelves on either side of the painting, focusing on glass and books in cool blue and green shades. The couch in a buttery tan grounds the room and provides an earthy contrast.
Creating small and large vignettes around your home can be a fun and easy way to change your look. Think about your art and arrange different pieces to harmonise with it. Look at different surfaces on bookshelves, tables, desks and mantlepieces and move different items around your home. Consider the shapes and textures of your pieces as you place them in relation to one another. The best part about this is that there are no mistakes and everything can be rearranged in minutes!